Lady of the Night
by Zandra's Ashes
Summary: Quirky friends, silly costumes, athosian liquors and a beautiful ghost that's sweet on John. It must be Halloween on Atlantis! Elizabeth is not thrilled about his new admirer. Pre-romance/romance. More fun and less angst than my norm-promise!
1. Chapter 1

A/N

Inspired to do a Halloween piece after reading the one recently posted by Erin87 

I was so tempted by the darker possibilities of Halloween, but this lighthearted piece just started flowing. Set before Atlantis was able to contact Earth. Maybe a little A/U because I am setting it as Atlantis's first Halloween, but assuming that Epiphany had already taken place.

John peered down at the scene below from Elizabeth's balcony. He reflected that it didn't really take much to decorate Atlantis for _this_ party. Somehow just dimming the lights was enough to remind the crew of how little they still knew about the mysterious ancient city. Most found it creepy after dark on a normal night. On this evening, the shadows seemed to loom about the exterior decking more ominously. The sky even seemed to sense it was Halloween and contributed to the desired effect. It had molted into the darkest blue possible before the blackness, light from the moon feathering through tiny crevices of the forming storm clouds.

Long before anyone even remembered Halloween was around the corner, there had been numerous sightings of an apparition that appeared to float gently along the floor of the control room late at night. She was described as a luminous woman with pale skin and dark hair wearing a white flowing gown. Sightings were more numerously reported on nights when a team was overdue and the city of Atlantis resisted sleep, anxiously awaiting the return of their friends. She was most often referred to as the Lady of the Night. There was a reason he never permitted McKay to name anything, the man had no imagination. Not unless it involved blonde scientists that was, John chuckled to himself.

"What's so funny? Good costume?" Elizabeth appeared at his side and nodded towards the crowd below. "My god, someone even managed to find the ten thousand year plants and drag them out."

John turned towards her, his eyes rising from the crowd below. The first thing he noticed was polished red toe nails emerging from the strapiest pair of sandals he'd ever seen on her. On Atlantis for that matter. His eyes travelled leisurely from there up her deliciously bare legs. Up and up and up, he had no idea her legs were so long or so…well, he'd had no idea they would look even better than he had imagined.

He'd stopped denying to himself a long time ago that he was attracted to her. That had been the easy part. What had come next was the hard part, admitting to himself he cared for her. Seeing her, quite vividly he smirked, actually made things a little easier. It allowed his attraction to her physically, temporarily at least, overpower his surging affection for her.

"Hey! What was that for?" John protested the sudden whack to his head.

"Taking the scenic route Major?" Elizabeth's eyebrow arched pointedly.

John knew the hazy lighting probably concealed his immediate blush, but he fought for a comeback all the same. He quickly noted the amazingly short shorts, tight fitted short sleeved top, and …. low set pigtails? Then he spotted the towel in her hand. It had been taped up to look like one of those circular life saving floatation devices. And in duct tape he could see the words "S.S. Minnow." "Just trying to read the lettering- Mary Ann?"

"You know you are the first person who figured it out. Maybe I'm giving away my age, but I remember watching Gilligan's Island reruns at my grandparents as a child. Seemed appropriate considering the circumstances. "Elizabeth said.

"Appropriate in a sick and twisted kind of way, they never got off the island." John pointed out.

"Speaking of sick and twisted, what on earth happened to your hair? It's...bigger than normal." Elizabeth said reaching a hand out to touch it. "Uh, John? I think someone did something to your hair gel." She looked around for something to wipe her fingers on before deciding on his black t-shirt.

"Hey! That was a clean shirt! And for your information, my hair is supposed to be gooey. It's grease. Grease? "John took a step back motioning up and down his body.

"Grease…" Elizabeth broke out into delicious pearls of laughter. "I thought you had forgotten it was a costume party. And to do your laundry. Whose pants are those anyway?"

"I don't know and I don't want to know. McKay borrowed them from someone and to be honest with you, I think they may be women's pants. Not too many men on board look like the type to own black leather pants." John said.

"How exactly did this happen?" Elizabeth was still laughing.

"I lost a bet. With McKay. I had a choice between "Danny" and "Captain Kirk". What would you have chosen?" John said, beginning to feel a bit foolish.

"For starters, I make it a point to never bet with McKay. " Elizabeth seemed to recognize John's distress and he could see her struggle to reign in her laughter. "Second, you chose well. The pants, well, _much_ sexier than Kirks uniform. If any ascended women are around, I'm sure they'll be swooning in no …John? John, I'm sorry, please come back."

Her soft intoxicating laughter seemed to float around him as he fled the room. John wasn't sure what had gotten into him, but the second she mentioned ascended women his feet were moving. It wasn't quite anger or even embarrassment. It was that she didn't see it, she didn't feel the same. Or why would she have said that? He wasn't exactly proud of the things he'd done when he'd been in denial.

He had meant to head back to his quarters, but he found himself standing below the balcony he'd just stood upon. Everyone in Atlantis seemed to be milling about him, enjoying the party. He looked up to meet Elizabeth's eyes and he felt his smirk return. She'd said sexy, he realized suddenly.

Suddenly the crew he'd been avoiding in his ridiculous get up seemed to become aware of his presence. He heard cat calls and whistles cast from the far side of the outdoor room. He glanced over to see Lorne and Ford not even trying to pretend it wasn't them. Rodney was standing in between them, beaming with joy.

"Thank you, thank you very much." He said, deciding to play it off. It _was_ kind of funny. He slid his thumb through a belt loop and hitched the side of the pants up as he continued. "Let me just get my guitar now, this costume could do double duty for Elvis."

John starting walking back inside and he saw Rodney's jaw drop. He could practically read the scientists mind, hmm take one John Sheppard add leather pants and guitar. Ascended women be damned, John was sure he'd find plenty of other interested women of the flesh and blood variety. John felt an immature rush of joy to realize how easily he could turn this lost bet back against Rodney. But there was only one woman here whose attention he craved. John's eyes turned to the balcony again. It was empty, Elizabeth had gone.

John shrugged it off. Just another day of cat and mouse. And then he had to stop to let a pair of scientists dressed up as cat and mouse scamper by. He had to smile again. There wasn't exactly a store for costumes in their neighborhood, so the costumes had all been homemade and scrapped together. But there were some good ones. He quickly checked his watch and stepped up his pace. He wanted to hurry up and grab the guitar and get back. It was about time for the costume contest and he was one of the judges. He was about to rejoin the party when he felt her breath on his neck.

"What exactly is McKay's costume supposed to be? I think he's just wearing his everyday clothes." Elizabeth whispered, as Rodney was not quite four feet away. Her eyes were wide with unspoken question, wondering if he'd forgiven her for poking fun at him.

He recognized that she was giving him an easy out too, no explanation required for his silly behavior earlier. "I'll tell you, if you tell me who Beckett is. I don't get the top hat and the bow tie. And he has candy; I've never seen Beckett eat candy. That's just what I'd call a little strange."

"Seriously John? You get Mary Ann, but not Willy Wonka? Now McKay."

"He's a tourist. Maybe you too could have coordinated. He would have made a great professor. Or Gilligan." John said earnestly.

Elizabeth had just taken a sip of the lethal punch and almost lost it through her nose as she snorted with laughter.

John smiled as he looked down on her, allowing the tension from before to fall away. It was rare that they enjoyed moments such as these, moments without impending doom on the horizon. It made him happy to see her so relaxed.

"So, shall we? " Elizabeth offered her elbow. "I believe we have a contest in need of judges?"

"You've got to try this punch! It's seriously amazing!" McKay's voice slurring ever so slightly as he appeared before them, offering John a cup. "Here, I'll take the case." He motioned towards John's guitar.

"I think I can manage." John glared at him, trying to scare him, though he was only amused by McKay's behavior. He wouldn't be surprised if the guitar didn't turn back up for days if he released it into his care.

"I'll take his cup." Elizabeth shook her head back and forth between the two men as she removed her arm from John's and took the cup. She proceeded across the floor to the table set up for the judges.

John paused for a moment, enjoying the view as she sashayed away. He had no doubt she realized they were watching her. He noticed Rodney's eyes, almost mesmerized, swaying back and forth with her hips.

"Ow! What'd you do that for?" McKay protested the whack to the back of his head and now it was John's head shaking back in forth as he looked at the scientist.

"Enjoying the view?" John asked.

"Well if you must know I was wondering where she got those shorts, they are_ incredible_! Do you think we can make those standard issue uniform for all the women on Atlantis?" McKay said, never taking his eyes off Elizabeth.

John cocked his head to the side and his eyes turned back to watch Elizabeth as she sauntered up to the table. "McKay for once, you have an idea I would be in total agreement with." John said.

"Wow, really? That's amazing because-Ow! Will you stop doing that!"

John had whacked the back of his head again. "No, not really. My men would never be able to concentrate if they all wore shorts that…that…."

"Wow." McKay said. Elizabeth had just bent down to pick up a white bow that had fallen from one of her pigtails.

"Yeah. Where _is_ that punch bowl?" John said looking around. He needed something; he couldn't sit next to her now for the next hour without…something to dull his senses.

McKay began snapping his fingers rapidly. "Yes, yes, yes, more punch! Right this way."

"You!" John pointed at a nearby marine. "Lady Liberty."

"_Lady_?" The marine asked in horror, looking down at his costume.

"Didn't you go to high school? " John asked him. "Never mind, move that drink table right over there." John pointed towards the judges table.

A nearby Alice from Wonderland and her White Rabbit grabbed one end of the table and a creature that remarkably looked like a Garthim from the Dark Crystal grabbed the other along with Lady Liberty. John stopped them long enough to grab a cup of punch. He wanted one under his belt before he got anywhere near Elizabeth. He downed it in one long slow sip, feeling the heat from the potent beverage burn into his chest.

He followed the motley crew carrying the massive table which was laden with the punch and other potent Athosian liquors. As urns began to tilt and sway the characters holding the table began wildly trying to correct the balance of the table. The White Rabbit's ears were bobbing in circles and the Garthim's beak was clattering together. John was shaking his head as he trotted along in their haphazard wake as they wove unevenly and erratically throughout the crowd. He should have given them a sobriety test first.

Just as Lady Liberty's headpiece fell into the punch bowl, John was struck with the notion he'd fallen into a Monty Python film. Laughter at the absurdity of the scene was bubbling through his chest and he looked to see if Elizabeth was enjoying the side show. He instantly sobered again as his eyes fell over her.

Elizabeth leaned back against the table as they approached, looking like she was posing for a centerfold. Her long legs were stretched out before her, crossed casually at her ankles. Her hands extended back on the table behind her, bracing her upper body. Which now seemed thrust out in his direction. Damn it! This would be the longest hour of his life, John thought as he approached. Not paying attention, he clumsily stumbled into Lady Liberty, not missing Elizabeth's eyebrow arching smugly. John realized then that Elizabeth knew exactly what she was doing to him.

Hope you enjoyed, next and last chapter coming soon!


	2. Chapter 2

"Everything all right John?" Elizabeth didn't even try to suppress the amusement in her voice. She stood and retrieved John's cup before extending it out towards him.

He took it and once again, polished off the drink in one long slow sip. "Let me get back to you on that." He turned away from her crinkling eyes and filled up his glass of punch, grabbing a refill for Elizabeth as well. When he returned Elizabeth had been surrounded by crew members.

John placed her cup on the table and turned his eyes back to scan the colorful crowd. As he turned, he spotted someone rising from a crouched position before him. He instinctively took a step backwards and then took another step which sent him tumbling over his chair when he got a closer look at a freakishly white face rose sporting a large round red nose. As he maneuvered into a hopefully somewhat more dignified sitting position, he spotted Elizabeth's unmistakable feet hurrying towards him. Her ankles were really quite amazing, he thought. So tiny and delicate, so feminine. Her foot began to tap before him and he awoke from his reverie. What_ was_ in that punch? He became aware of the voices of crew members excitedly talking behind him.

"What's going on?", "Is the Lady of the Night here?", "I just knew we'd see her tonight!", and "Where is she, I don't see anything?" Were just a few of the comments he could make out. Then the clown was squatted before him, peering in his eyes. John jumped unsteadily trying to stand, but he ended up colliding with Elizabeth sending them both tumbling backwards to the floor.

"Having fun Major?" Elizabeth sounded amused as she lay on the ground beside him. They were both on their backs, giving them a wonderful view of…well not much really. The sky was still ominously dark and the clouds were blocking even the most brilliant of the stars.

He turned to look at her and she turned her head towards him and smiled mischievously. Maybe it was just because it was Halloween, but this night was beginning to seem more and more surreal. But, this was good, Elizabeth smiling. Good, since he'd just knocked the expedition leader to the ground in front of the entire crew, it was good to know he wouldn't be sleeping in the brig tonight. But he was probably getting further and further away from where he'd really like to be sleeping. Not good. Good is a good word, he thought absentmindedly.

"John?" Elizabeth sat up, obviously listening to the conversation around her. "Who is the Lady of the Night?"

"She's a ghost that's been quite frequently spotted here on Atlantis. She's said to be quite beautiful." The clown said.

"Zelenka? John recognized the clown's voice.

"Yes, Rodney sent me over, he said you loved clowns. I must admit, I was expecting a…different reaction." Zelenka said as helped Elizabeth up. He then carefully adjusted his loose pants being held up by two neckties tethered to the belt loops to imitate suspenders.

"Well, I'll have to remember to thank him for that." John said. Beckett and Lorne had moved closer and were now pulling him to his feet. "Just don't get too close." John warned Zelenka who was scratching the dyed mop head that served as his wig.

"So, the Lady of the Night?" Elizabeth asked again.

John may have had a decent buzz going from the drinks he'd just inhaled, but he would have sworn he'd seen Lorne and Beckett exchange a glance of concern. He filed that away for later.

He was distracted again when he saw McKay was approaching with a trim blonde nurse on his arm, who tonight was dressed in military uniform. That had been John's payback and Rodney obviously had drunk too much punch to notice she wasn't the real thing. "Like I was saying Sam, I think she's sweet on John, she usually only shows up when he's overdue to report, just our team. She's even been spotted pacing outside his the door to his quarters."

McKay passed on by and John's joy was short lived. "Who was he talking about?" Elizabeth asked.

"The Lady of the Night." Zelenka said.

John scowled in his direction sending the scientist back a few steps for safety. John then turned to see Elizabeth's more ferocious scowl in his own direction. "Seriously John? A ghost now?" She turned away and walked off muttering about searching the database to find out who this woman was.

Before he could protest his indignation, he was distracted again. John knew he wasn't imagining it this time when he caught Beckett and Lorne again exchanging a glance. "You guys want to fill me in here?"

Just then the dim lights started flickering. Everyone froze and the voices all crashed to a painful silence. The flickering stopped, but it took a moment for the voices to return to full throttle. McKay paraded "Sam" back by the group and announced proudly that they would take care of it. "Sam" threw a helpless look back at John almost as if pleading for help. John waved bye-bye! She _could_ have been a little gentler with the needle with that last IV he'd received.

"Zelenka?" Elizabeth's voice spoke her unasked question.

"I'll go make sure he doesn't make it worse. Who is in the control room?" Zelenka asked.

"Teyla is, she doesn't quite get Halloween, she volunteered." Elizabeth said. "Look in McKay's pocket, he's the Accidental Tourist."

"That's what I said; I said he was a tourist." John reminded her.

"The Accidental Tourist, John it's a book, maybe if you ever finished War and Peace you could start a second book."

"Not that's just not nice; I'll have you know I've read plenty of books in my time."

"Really? Name one? Besides the Art of War." Elizabeth challenged.

"And they wonder why there are rumors; they bicker like a married couple." Zelenka muttered under his breath. Then he cleared his throat loudly. "Fine, well then, I guess I will just let Teyla know if we need you." Zelenka began ambling off in borrowed and oversized combat boots covered with silver duct tape.

"I'll go with them, keep the peace and all." Lorne nodded as they moved out.

John briefly wondered how much punch Elizabeth had consumed. He was knocking her down, lights were flickering and she was bantering with him like she didn't have a care in the world. Surreal. He loved Halloween. Halloween was good, he smiled.

"All right then, let's get this show on the road!" Ford stood excitedly in front of them.

"Why are you so excited, you don't even have a costume on?" John said.

"I wanted it to be a surprise. I've got it tucked away close." Ford said as he sprinted off.

The next thirty minutes passed easier than John had imagined. The costumes were ranged from unimaginative to amazing. There were many variations of the predictable standbys, but a few pretty good originals. A botanist had draped her arms in ivy and was holding a bottle marked poison, there was a cool Edward Munch painting come to life with The Scream costume, but it was his turn to snort punch through his nose when Ford appeared for judging in a huge potato sack and a name tag that read Good.

Cavanaugh was sniveling somewhere behind John. "I don't get it."

"_You_ wouldn't." Elizabeth directed her voice in John's direction, knowing Cavanaugh was back there somewhere. "He's good in the sack." Elizabeth said, just as a song ended resulting in her voice carrying across the room. She began blushing profusely as she realized everyone saw her looking at John when she said that. They all thought she had been talking about him. John watched her flee towards the drink table as he handed Ford the prize for best original costume.

John turned to find Cavanaugh still looking confused as he walked away shrugging his shoulders. They had all but forgotten about the problem with the lights when they began to flicker again.

McKay's voice emerged across the PA system. "Samantha Carter are you drunk? Stop touching things, I think you are making it worse."

"Uh, Rodney? You're on the citywide PA. "Zelenka's voice emerged.

"Oh. Uhm, this is McKay. Everything is under control here. The city appears to be redistributing power as it prepares for the coming storm. The lightning rods will gather a significant amount energy from the lighting strikes so the city compensates by….Sam I said stop touching!"

"It wasn't me!" The nurse's voice protested.

Suddenly their voices were replaced with music. But John could see from the confused expression on the DJ's face, he wasn't responsible. Suddenly, Johnny Cash's voice emerged from the PA speakers. "The first time…ever I saw your face." John looked around in bewilderment. Whoever had done this, he wasn't sure how they knew. This was the song that always came to mind when he thought of playing for Elizabeth. He wasn't sure there was enough alcohol in the Pegasus galaxy for that day to come anytime soon though.

Besides the DJ, the crew was mostly inebriated and clueless that anything was out of the norm. Couples began to pair off as they headed towards the dance floor.

"Shall we?" John asked extending his hand towards Elizabeth. His voice hadn't been as light as he'd strived for. It sounded deeper, huskier, even to himself he heard the deeper meaning.

She accepted his hand in silence, her eyes asking silent questions. His eyes locked on her own, answering silently in return.

He barely heard Beckett as they moved towards the dance floor. "No, _that's_ why there are all the rumors. It's always in the eyes…"

Elizabeth heard him too; John saw the conflict twisting inside her as her forehead crinkled. "John? Maybe it's time to call it a night."

They instinctively headed for the stairs rather than the transporter. It was a wise decision, as soon as they reached the landing to check in with Teyla the lights began to flicker again. In moments, Beckett, Lorne and Ford had joined them in the control room.

"Ford, you're on crowd control. Lorne, stay here with Teyla, let me know if you hear anything. Beckett, can you go check on McKay and Zelenka? I'm taking Elizabeth to her quarters." John said as he begun tugging her by the elbow out the door.

"John what are you doing, I'm not going anywhere until we know what's going on and I certainly don't need a chaperone." Elizabeth said as she struggled against his hold.

She stopped suddenly as their eyes met and everything he was tired of fighting emerged through the gaps of his emotional defenses. Damn Athosian liquor. As they stared in each other's eyes, the resistance seemed to melt away from her limbs, but they hadn't taken two steps when John saw her.

Shrouded dimly in a veil of light, the Lady of the Night was heading towards them. Elizabeth sucked in her breath as she spotted her. Rather than being afraid, Elizabeth emerged from behind the arm he'd extended to stop her and began moving towards the apparition. It seemed to take no notice of her, at first anyway. The ghost seemed to be pacing back and forth looking below with concern as the costume clad staff wandered in and out of the party.

"She doesn't know its Halloween, she's worried about you." Elizabeth said, still moving forward.

"You didn't even know she existed until tonight, how could you possibly know what she's thinking." John asked.

"Trust me John, I know." Elizabeth said, moving closer still to the ghost.

John stopped and realized Lorne and Beckett had crept up behind him.

"Well I'll be…" Lorne said.

"We're not crazy, would you look at that?" Beckett said.

"What is it with you two?" John said, never taking his eyes from Elizabeth.

"You don't see it? Just wait, you will. Elizabeth sleepwalks, did you know that?" Beckett said.

"It's always on nights when you're MIA or in trouble somewhere. We've been taking turns watching her door since the sighting of the Lady of the Night became the hot topic on Atlantis. But there have been times when I've been off world trying to save your butt and Beckett hasn't been able to leave the infirmary. We've been reluctant to tell anyone else." Lorne said.

"Tell anyone else what?" John hissed.

"Elizabeth is the Lady of the Night. She's who the crew has been seeing wandering the halls when you're gone." Beckett said.

"Obviously not, look, there's Elizabeth and there's the Lady of the Night." John said. He hadn't seen either of them with a drink, but he was beginning to wonder.

"There have been a couple times when we walked Elizabeth back to her room and…." Lorne looked questioningly at Beckett.

"What?" John said growing frustrated.

"We'd turn around and see her back in the hall. But when we opened the door, Elizabeth was still in bed." Lorne said, looking embarrassed.

"What are you trying to tell me?" John said.

"We wondered if we were going crazy, if her worry was making us crazy along with her. You don't know what you do to her when you're off gallivanting about trying to kill yourself. It's a lot of work for us to try to keep her calm when you're gone." Beckett said.

"I still don't see any point here, there's Elizabeth, there's the ghost. You probably _are_ crazy." John said taking a step towards Elizabeth, his insides still twisting as he digested their words. He knew she worried, but he'd never realized the extent to which he pushed her fears.

Then the ghost looked at him, smiling disconcertingly. John realized he was holding his breath as recognition dawned upon him. Damn it! Well, at least Elizabeth could stop being jealous. John looked to Elizabeth who was smiling contentedly at the apparition who was now rapidly approaching her. John moved behind Elizabeth, placing his hand on the small of her back. Reassuring himself, more than her. The apparition took notice and smiled immediately. She then took a step forward, and the figure's vision melded around and into Elizabeth. The ghost finally passed through her and reformed in front of John, smiling broadly before her figure began to melt away into blinding molecules of light.

"Elizabeth?" John asked.

"Yes. She's been here since we found her in the stasis pod, since she died here. She's been holding on waiting until…." Elizabeth said. She paused and her head tucked around, noticing Lorne and Beckett watching intently.

"I think you were showing me to my room?"

_ _ _

They had finally reached Elizabeth's door. "What was she waiting for?" John asked.

Elizabeth smiled. "The inevitable, I suppose. She needed to make sure what she had changed by going back in time…was…was corrected."

"What did she change? Did she just ascend?" John asked.

"I believe so. I'd like to think she'd earned ascension after sacrificing ten thousand years in a stasis pod to save the lives of the expedition. "She said.

"And you don't find that a little….creepy?" John asked.

"I find it comforting actually. We need someone up there on our side, I can't think of anyone better."

"I suppose you wouldn't." John said. "Still-"

Elizabeth silenced him when her hands reached around the sides of his neck. Caressing him gently, she looked deeply into his eyes. She pulled his lips to her own with a surprising ferociousness. His eyes closed as lost himself into the heat of her silent quest for answers. She startled him when she suddenly pulled away, licking her lips evocatively and looking extremely satisfied with whatever answer she'd found there.

"This is what she changed. She was waiting for us to find each other, to accept this gift of fate."

John had barely starting to feel like he was standing on solid ground since her lips left his and now; she'd sent him reeling again. He wondered how it had been different before, when the other Elizabeth had gone through the gate. They would have had very little time and yet…she'd held off ascension to make sure they found each other again? She'd wandered the halls of Atlantis worrying about him? As had the Elizabeth before him now he realized, trying to focus his eyes upon her.

Elizabeth broke through his thoughts. "Hey, you still in there? You owe me a song you know. You never got to play and I never got to hear all of that Johnny Cash cover. Want to come in?"

Settled in a chair in Elizabeth's room, John pulled the guitar from his case. He thought he'd managed to escape the night without actually playing the guitar. He'd really only drug it out just to irritate McKay. But as he watched her nestle into her bed to listen, he realized he didn't really mind. His fingers began to strum the chords on the guitar and he took a quick sip of the punch Elizabeth had retrieved and began to sing.

"_**First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" as covered by Johnny Cash**___

The first time ever I saw your face, I thought the sun rose in your eyes.  
And the moon and stars were the gifts you gave,  
To the dark and the endless sky, my love.  
And the first time ever I kissed your mouth,  
I felt the earth move through my hands.  
Like the trembling heart of a captive bird  
That was there at my command.  


Elizabeth had fallen into sleep before John even finished the song. He gently pulled the covers over her and pressed a kiss to her forehead before regretfully slipping out of her room. He hated to leave, but somehow didn't feel he'd yet earned the right to stay.

He crashed into Lorne pacing in the hallway. "What the hell!"

"Sorry sir, didn't realize you were in there. Zelenka reported the power supply had stabilized, I just wanted to make sure there were no more Lady of the Night sightings." Lorne said.

"I don't think we have to worry about that anymore, I think the Lady of the Night has been appeased. The light we saw, that was her ascending." John said.

"Hard to imagine sir, Beckett and I thought we were crazy. Guess there was a good reason they looked just alike-"

Lorne was interrupted by the opening of the door. Elizabeth floated out walking on her tiptoes. She had changed into a white silky flowing bathrobe-identical to the gown the ghost Elizabeth had worn- and was clutching one of the glow sticks John had stocked her room with for emergency situations. John found it hard to believe, even seeing it himself. Elizabeth sleepwalking seemed so out of contrast with the carefully controlled calm and poised leadership that the leader gave to their city every day. He smiled as she started to tiptoe down the hall and the pale light from the stick radiated about her casting a ghostly appearance across her luminous pale skin. He kind of liked seeing her vulnerable side, he just wished she was doing so consciously.

"See!" Lorne said with vindication.

John's wide eyes turned upon Lorne but for a second before dashing after Elizabeth.

She seemed startled to see him at first; her green eyes were blinking rapidly. Then she threw herself into his arms. "I knew you would be okay." She breathed into his ear. He could only imagine what kind of nightmare she'd had, the kind of nightmares he'd caused her.

He led her gingerly back to her room. As he passed by Lorne he whispered, "Let's just keep all this between us."

"Don't worry Major; I've had months of practice at keeping her secrets." Lorne said as he walked away.

John guided Elizabeth back into her bed. When her arms pulled him down beside her, he was more than happy to allow her to nestle against him as she settled back into slumber. He began to softly sing the rest of the song he'd begun earlier.

_And the first time ever I lay with you,  
I felt your heart so close to mine.  
And I know our joy would fill the earth,  
And last till the end of time, my love._

The first time ever I saw your face.

"Hmm, love you too." Elizabeth muttered before pressing a soft kiss into his neck.

John's neck burned pleasantly where her lips had brushed against him; he tugged her closer into her arms. As her breath deepened against his neck, he groaned. His fingertips stretched painfully to reach her cup of punch on the table. He needed… something. If he had any hopes of sleeping tonight with her at his side…he needed something to dull his senses. Because he didn't plan to let her out of his sight any time soon.


End file.
